A TRANSFORMATION in the way meals are served to patients in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and its associated community hospitals has won a national award.

The facilities team of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospitals, have redesigned the patient meal service from the ground up, placing a renewed focus on quality, consistency, and a more personal experience for patients.

Now, the changes have been recognised at the 2025 Community Hospital Association’s (CHA) innovation and best practice awards, which this year marked the programme’s 25th anniversary.

Until recently, meals prepared by the trust’s facilities team were handed over at the kitchen door and delivered to patients by a variety of colleagues, including nurses, activities co-ordinators, and some catering colleagues.

The system ensured meals reached wards efficiently, but meant facilities colleagues had limited visibility of how food was presented, portioned, or adapted once it left the kitchen.

A trust spokesperson said: “Working closely with nursing and facilities teams, and backed by strong leadership and targeted training, facilities colleagues have now stepped into patient-facing roles, serving meals directly on the wards.

“The shift marks a significant change in practice, but one that is already showing clear benefits for both patients and colleagues.

“By serving meals themselves, facilities teams can better tailor portion sizes, respond to individual preferences, and ensure a consistent standard of presentation.

“The closer interaction with patients has also helped reduce food waste, while freeing up nursing colleagues to spend more time on direct patient care.”

The new approach is underpinned by a catering commitment charter and a detailed ward-level meal service guide, helping to ensure consistency across all sites.

The team has also taken part in NHS England’s food waste reporting pilot, further strengthening its commitment to sustainability and continuous improvement.

They have worked together to build confidence and develop new ways of working, resulting in a more compassionate and responsive service.

The transformation has also strengthened relationships between facilities colleagues and the patients they meet every day, helping to create a more personal and positive experience around mealtimes, something which can play an important role in recovery and overall wellbeing.

Trust facilities manager Jane Wills said: “We are extremely proud of the whole team who have embraced the change and worked closely with ourselves to ensure the best possible service is provided to our patients.

“The project demonstrates what can be achieved through strong collaboration between facilities, nursing, and leadership teams, and highlights a model that could be adopted more widely to improve patient experience.”

Ms Wills said with the 2026 innovation and best practice awards now open to entries, there was already hope that Somerset teams can continue to build on their success and share further examples of innovation across community services.

However, she said for the facilities team, the focus remained firmly on the day-to-day difference the changes were making on the wards, ensuring every patient received not just a meal, but a service which felt personal, consistent, and cared for.